


Home, Love, Family

by pastelwitchling



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Established Forlex, M/M, Malex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:40:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29539041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastelwitchling/pseuds/pastelwitchling
Summary: Alex is hurt, and he calls Michael for help instead of Forrest.
Relationships: Forrest Long/Alex Manes, Michael Guerin & Alex Manes, Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 23
Kudos: 156





	1. I Trust You

**Author's Note:**

> Another impulse. I apologize. But not really.  
> If you enjoy it at all, please comment and share, it makes the world of a difference ❤

It started with a text. _I need you._

Three words from Alex had Michael bolting out the Pony’s door, abruptly ending whatever Isobel and Maria had been telling him. Alex needed him.

After months of not getting anything from the airman short of a polite smile here and there, months of watching him laugh with his boyfriend, hold his boyfriend’s arm in public, kiss his cheek, of watching that boyfriend smile lovingly at _his_ airman, Alex needed _him_. Not Forrest. _Him_. If panic wasn’t consuming every inch of Michael’s body, he might’ve been a little more excited.

Michael parked in front of Alex’s house and jumped out of the truck. Without knocking, he used his powers to swing the door open and ran in.

“Alex?” he called, coming into the dark living room. “ALEX!”

“In here,” a voice said weakly, and Michael followed it to the kitchen. He stilled momentarily, shocked at what he was seeing. Alex was lying on the tiled floor, in a puddle of water and glass.

He heaved a miserable sigh, avoiding Michael’s eyes. “Can you please help me up?”

Michael blinked out of his thoughts and fell at Alex’s side, his hand coming carefully under his neck. He saw small scratches along Alex’s arm left by the glass, and swallowed.

“What the hell happened to you?”

“I –” he huffed “—the pain got bad before I realized. I’m working at my computer, and I get up for a drink of water, and the next thing I know – ow ow _ow_!”

“Sorry,” Michael said, moving him more slowly. He hated Alex’s pained grimace. He kept an arm around Alex’s waist, his other hand going to his thigh, rubbing into it. Alex squirmed uncomfortably for a bit before the tension slowly started to leave his body. Michael leaned his chest in as Alex settled back against him, reveling in the warmth of him, his scent.

“I feel so stupid,” Alex muttered, rubbing his face. He hissed, and dusted off a piece of glass that had stuck to his palm. Michael was going to be sick.

“Okay, that’s it, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“No, _no_ ,” Alex said immediately, gripping onto Michael’s arm and keeping him close. As if Michael was ever going to leave. “Why do you think I called you instead of Kyle? If he found out I forgot to take my medication, I’d never hear the end of it.”

Michael smirked into his hair, his eyes fluttering as the slightly damp locks tickled his lips. “And you called me instead of Forrest because . . .?”

Alex was silent a moment. Then, quietly, he confessed, “I don’t want him to see me like this.”

Michael faltered. Alex’s movements were rough, as if ashamed of himself. He moved to his side, keeping his arm around his waist. “Alex, there’s nothing wrong with –”

“Look, I’ve heard it all before, okay?” he cut him off edgily. “Nothing wrong with asking for help, nothing wrong with being in pain, nothing wrong with needing someone, but _I’m_ the one who fell down getting a glass of water. All right? _I’m_ the one who needed their ex to come help them sit up, _I’m_ the one who can’t stand. So, please, spare me the politically correct sympathy talk because pretty words go a very short way for someone like me.”

They collapsed into silence. Michael didn’t move his hand off Alex’s back. He could feel his heart rattling in his chest, his shaky sighs, his body trembling slightly. He hadn’t seemed that upset about falling when Michael had first found him. This was the truth he wouldn’t show anyone else.

“I’m sorry,” Alex said hoarsely, and sniffed, wiping his eyes. “I should’ve just called Forrest.”

Michael clenched his jaw and leaned in, pressing his lips to the shell of Alex’s ear. He felt Alex tense. “I’m glad you didn’t,” he whispered.

When Alex didn’t push or warn him away, Michael bit his lower lip and dared press a kiss to Alex’s ear. Then his cheek. He exhaled through his nose, an inexplicable kind of relief settling in his chest, his arms tightening around Alex.

“Does this feel good?” he murmured, and pressed another kiss to Alex’s jaw.

“G-Guerin –” Alex tried, and Michael smiled at how much clearer his voice was now. He knew he couldn’t make Alex forget, but right now, as he hurt, Michael wanted him to think of something else more. Something _better_.

“What about this?” he offered, turning Alex’s head around with gentle fingers at his chin. He kissed each of Alex’s eyes, his lashed damp against Michael’s lips. Michael heard Alex’s soft gasp, and it fueled something in him to keep going.

“It’s okay,” he promised, kissing the corner of Alex’s lips, his heart thrashing as Alex scrunched his shoulders and made a soft whimpering sound in the back of his throat. Had he ever told Alex how _cute_ he was? He imagined Forrest saying it and possessively bit at Alex’s lower lip.

“Guerin –”

“It’s okay, Private,” he repeated. “You’re not kissing me back.” He brought a hand over Alex’s right leg. “Just let me touch you. You don’t have to do anything.”

“I – _ah_ ,” Alex stammered as Michael kissed down his neck, licking into the hollow of his throat and biting his collarbone. “Guerin . . . I don’t – I don’t think you should –”

He cut off with a sharp inhale as Michael kissed his chin, then again, inching closer and closer to his lips. Michael gripped him tighter, eager to taste him properly, like he hadn’t gotten to do in too long. He imagined Alex’s soft lips on his, imagined the taste of his tongue, imagined swallowing his moans, and he groaned against Alex’s skin. Then he got _too_ eager.

He grabbed Alex’s leg to pull him onto him, to straddle him, but Alex broke off suddenly with a wince of pain, his head falling onto Michael’s shoulder as he gripped his jacket tightly. He was shivering, his leg laid out and still.

“I can’t,” he breathed ruggedly. “I – I can’t.”

Michael’s arms instinctively came around him, holding him tightly. Guilt lurched in his stomach as he remembered the reason he was here, the reason Alex had been lying down on the ground, unable to move.

“Sorry,” he breathed against Alex’s temple. “I’m sorry, baby.”

Alex blinked, realizing what they’d been about to do, and shook his head, moving away. He still didn’t let go of Michael’s jacket. “It’s fine, just – just hand me my crutches. I think I can move enough to use them now.”

“No,” Michael said, sliding an arm under Alex’s legs. He hated how far away Alex felt and wanted him closer, closer, _closer_. “I’ll carry you. Hold onto me.”

He thought Alex would give him a fight, get _angry_ , but Alex, to his surprise, put his arms around Michael’s shoulders, albeit hesitantly. He was avoiding Michael’s eyes, but he didn’t turn away when Michael nuzzled his jaw.

“I’ve got you,” he promised, and stood, carrying Alex to the couch. He laid him down, and knelt on the carpet beside him, brushing his bangs from his eyes. “I’m gonna stay here tonight,” he said. “Take care of you.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” Alex said.

Michael’s smile dimmed. “I want to stay anyway.”

He sighed, rubbing his eyes and pushing his bangs back roughly. “I’m okay, Guerin.”

Michael hesitated before he traced his fingers across the back of Alex’s hand. He followed a trail up Alex’s arm and saw Alex’s chest rise and fall quickly with his breathing. “Well, I’m not. I want to stay with you.”

Alex finally looked at him, his dark eyes piercing Michael’s own. Michael was surprised for a third time tonight when Alex turned his hand under his own and grabbed his fingers. He tugged.

“Then get on the couch,” he said. “It’s warmer.”

Michael clenched his jaw, swallowing slowly, as if afraid that even that might scare Alex into changing his mind. Licking his lips, he toed off his boots and moved onto the couch. They lay there, on their sides, close enough that their noses touched. Michael hesitated for only a second before he put an arm around Alex’s waist, holding him closely.

“So I won’t fall,” he said. Alex scoffed lightly, hearing the lie and not mentioning it.

Alex bit his lower lip before he adjusted himself slightly, leaning in to press his forehead against Michael’s chest and curl up against his warmth. Michael didn’t dare move a moment, then he gathered Alex in his arms and held him tightly against him.

“Just this once,” Alex murmured, the uncertainty and fear and _want_ clear in his voice.

Michael pressed his lips to the crown of Alex’s head in a soft kiss. His hold on Alex tightened and he whispered the lie into his hair, “Just this once.”


	2. Forever

Michael was in love. But then, he’d been in love since the day he found an emo playing the piano in the music room and took his guitar because he’d needed an excuse to talk to him.

And he’d been falling deeper and deeper in love since then. Now, as Alex slept in his arms, his breathing soft and his hair falling over his eyes, Michael couldn’t help but think of how much time he’d wasted, time he could’ve been holding on, fighting for Alex, keeping him close at all costs.

 _It’s too late now_ , a voice taunted. _He’s dating someone else. He’s_ in love _with someone else._

The thought had Michael tightening his hold on Alex, keeping him unbearably close. Boyfriend or not, Alex had called _him_. He had wanted _Michael_ to come help him, had trusted _Michael_ to keep him safe. The memory of Alex’s slight moans and whimpers as Michael had kissed him came back to him, and Michael’s hips lurched forward of their own accord, eager to press against Alex’s, to feel him underneath his sweats.

The tension in Alex’s body had faded as he slept, and Michael knew the pain had gone. It helped Michael relax enough to hold him however tightly he wanted. Michael bit his lower lip, hesitant, before he decided to lean in, to press open-mouthed kisses to Alex’s neck, to wake him up in the best way, but before he could, a soft knock came at the door.

 _Forrest_ , Michael thought. He’d come to see Alex in the early morning, and the thought had Michael leaning in closer to Alex. Alex was _his_. Who did Forrest think he was, coming to see him like he wanted his face to be the first Alex saw for the day?

 _He’s Alex’s boyfriend_ , a cold voice reminded him, as if to say, _This is your punishment. You get to see just how much you’ve screwed things up, just how much he doesn’t belong to you anymore._

Michael clenched his jaw as the knock came again, and he heard a faint, “Alex?” on the other side. _Definitely_ Forrest.

It would be so easy to let the door swing open now, to close his eyes and pretend he was still asleep with Alex in his arms, to let Forrest walk in and see them together. A twisted part of Michael was satisfied at the thought of Alex and Forrest fighting, of Forrest realizing that Alex had never been his, that when he’d wanted help, he’d asked _Michael_. He’d wanted _Michael_. Their relationship would finally end and then he and Michael could be together.

Then Alex whimpered slightly at the knock, his brows knit together for just the briefest moment as if bothered by the sound, and Michael’s heart fell into his stomach. Alex had trusted Michael to protect him, to keep him safe. And in return, he’d wake up to Forrest’s angry eyes and disappointment and screaming. Michael imagined Alex wincing under all the noise, afraid and full of remorse, and found that that was the last thing he could ever want.

Clenching his jaw, Michael hugged Alex tightly and whispered into the crook of his neck, “I love you, Private.” He let Alex go gently, and moved to stand off the couch. He put his boots on, ran a hand through his hair so it didn’t look like he’d been sleeping, and put his hat on.

He opened the door to find Forrest on the porch, his dark eyes unsurprised to see Michael there. He sighed, looking over Michael’s shoulder for Alex.

“Where is he?” he said in lieu of a greeting.

“Inside,” he said. “I . . . just got here.”

“Why?” Forrest demanded, walking in past Michael. There was no anger in his voice, only concern. “What’s wrong with him, did he call you?”

Michael watched as Forrest stopped in the living room doorway, having just found Alex. The historian exhaled a sigh of relief and went to kneel at his side, pushing his bangs back as he slept. Michael’s fingers curled to fists at his sides, unable to help but think that that should’ve been _him_ with Alex.

“No,” Michael finally said, forcing his hands into his pockets to still them. “I just came to ask him something and found him asleep. I was just about to leave.”

“I called him last night, but he never picked up. He _always_ picks up.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I tried not to worry, but then I called this morning again and . . .”

Michael pursed his lips. “You know, I wouldn’t have let anything happen to him. We can kind of feel each other, so if he’d been in any real danger, I would’ve been the first to know.”

But Forrest wasn’t paying attention to Michael anymore. Instead, he had one hand on top of Alex’s head and the other running down his arm. “I’m here, baby,” he said, and leaned in to press a kiss against Alex’s neck, then his jaw, then his cheek, as if eager to know that Alex was safe and secure here, with _him_.

Michael turned away, unable to look anymore as Forrest held his Alex more and more tightly. He was just about to leave when –

“He knew because I called him,” Alex said suddenly.

Michael whipped around. Forrest looked startled as Alex pushed himself up. He grimaced slightly and Michael guessed the pain hadn’t completely went away after all. Alex heaved a sigh as he managed to sit up and Forrest stood.

“Last night,” Alex said, staring at the ground, “I overworked myself and . . . fell in the kitchen. I . . . couldn’t get back up, so I called Michael to come help me.”

“I – I don’t get it,” Forrest frowned, glancing at Michael. “If you needed help, why didn’t you call _me_?”

Alex took a little too long to answer, searching for the right words, and Michael cut in, “Because he was embarrassed. He shouldn’t have been, but –”

“ _No_ ,” Alex interrupted, a little exasperated. “I did it because . . .” his eyes glassy, “because I was hurt and scared and sad, and I wanted to see Michael.”

Forrest looked between Alex and Michael, his shoulders slumped. “So you trusted Michael more than me.”

Alex shook his head. “I didn’t know if he’d show up,” he confessed in a whisper that made Michael’s heart crack. “I just wanted to see him.”

“ _Alex_ ,” Michael breathed, taking a step towards him before Forrest said, “I think you should go, Guerin.”

Michael glared. He wanted to argue, to fight, to throw a punch and tell Forrest that _he_ should be the one to leave. But then Alex sniffed, his face turned away as he brushed an escaped tear from his cheek. And Michael took a step back.

“I’m leaving for Alex,” he growled. “Got that, Long?” And with one last glance at Alex, Michael pushed past every fiber in his body that was urging him to stay at Alex’s side, and left.

Michael checked his messages again. Nothing. For what felt like the millionth time, he checked to make sure he hadn’t missed any calls, but found nothing there either. It had been three hours since he’d left Alex’s house, three hours since shop had opened and Michael had either been neglecting the cars that needed work or beating the hell out of them to vent some of his frustrations.

He’d been waiting for Alex’s text, telling him to come over, that he and Forrest were done, and that he wanted them to get back together. He knew he and Alex had a lot to say to each other, a lot to talk about, and he was willing to do it all, _whatever it took_ , if it meant he got to have Alex back at the end of it.

But Alex hadn’t gotten in touch with him yet, and Michael was getting antsy. He’d told himself an hour ago that if Alex didn’t call soon, he would go over there and grab the airman by the arm and run away with him, blue-haired boyfriends be damned.

He was just coming up to the last few minutes of his wait, already pulling his keys out of his pocket when a familiar car drove into the junkyard and parked alongside his truck. Michael dropped the keys as he saw Alex step out, his brows pinched together at the pain in his leg, but it was clearly a lot more bearable now.

Michael heard his own soft exhale, felt himself take a step forward of his own accord, his fingers already itching to reach out. But Alex had his hands in his pockets and his shoulders were scrunched. His dark eyes were guarded. It was the look of a man who had been through enough for one morning, and it made Michael want to hold on tighter.

He said nothing, waiting for Alex to start, afraid that anything he said would scare the airman away.

“We broke up,” were Alex’s first words.

Michael swallowed, trying hard to hide his happiness at the news. Alex didn’t seem entirely thrilled about it himself.

“A-Are you okay?”

Alex pressed his lips together, his eyes narrowed at the clouds like he was thinking about it. Then Michael spotted his lower lip trembling for the briefest second, and Alex shook his head. A lump formed in Michael’s throat. He hadn’t wanted this.

“Alex –”

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Alex croaked, wiping at his cheek. “He was . . . perfect.” He shrugged, helpless. “But I want you instead. I love _you_ instead, and I hate it, and it’s not fair.” He stepped closer, taking his hands out of his pockets. “Because you don’t deserve it, Guerin, not after everything you did to me.”

“I know,” Michael managed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alex huffed, roughly wiping his eyes. “And I still want you as much as I always did. _More_ , I –” he turned away, running a weary, frustrated hand through his hair.

Michael could hear Alex’s sniffles echoing in his head, every bone in his body vibrating with the need to touch him. Everyone treated Alex like he was invincible, like nothing could hurt him. Even Michael had been careless with his feelings, assuming the airman didn’t mind anything. In the end, it was Michael who’d hurt him most, had brought him right to the brink of shattering completely.

Not caring about body language or words, Michael closed the distance between them, turned Alex around, grabbed his face, and kissed him. Alex whimpered against his lips, and Michael swallowed the sound down, eager to hear more. He pushed Alex against his truck, crowding him with his body.

He pressed his hips to Alex’s like he’d wanted to do that morning, grinding his clothed bulge against the airman’s and swallowing down his moans, too. He groaned when he felt Alex’s hands slide under his shirt, scratching down his naked back. Michael grinded his hips into Alex’s again and again, watching as their jeans slid further down their hips, their naked, hairy stomachs pressed together.

“I – I know,” Michael tried when they’d pulled back from each other’s mouths to breathe. “I know we need to talk, and –”

“Later,” Alex panted, pulling off Michael’s shirt and running a hand down his chest. Michael’s mouth hung open as his body curved into Alex’s palm, his fingers trailing through the line of hair leading to Michael’s belt. “Just touch me. I want to feel you.”

He took Michael’s bottom lip between his teeth, and Michael’s eyes fluttered shut. Michael nodded, helpless. “ _Every inch_.”

Michael had never come so hard in his life. The airstream rocked as he thrust into Alex, the bed creaking beneath their naked, damp bodies. He watched with blatant ecstasy as his cock slid in and out of Alex’s hole, the filthy, wet sound between their bodies overwhelming on its own. Alex pushed his hips up in time to Michael’s thrusts, making the most delicious moans Michael had ever heard.

Every time they slept together, Alex was more and more enticing, more and more sexy, more and more irresistible. Michael’s grunts turned to screams, not even bothering to restrain himself. Alex attempted to shush him with a hand in his curls and another on his thigh, but Michael only yelled louder, his cock hard and throbbing, his thrusts rough and wild. Their bodies slapped together and Alex’s dick in Michael’s hand pulsed with need and want.

It felt so good, _too_ good, that Michael knew he would never be able to live without this again. He couldn’t let Alex leave, he _wouldn’t_. He would keep him here in the airstream, lock the door, and never let either of them out again. They wouldn’t need anyone or anything else but each other. Feeling the overwhelming heat between their bodies now, the intoxicating sound of Alex’s moans and pleas in his ear, the feeling of Alex’s muscled, warm body beneath his own – Michael was convinced he could live off Alex alone. Just here, the two of them, making love, _forever_. He never wanted anything else.

Michael came with his face in the crook of Alex’s neck, biting into his shoulder. As they lay there on their sides, sweaty and panting, facing each other like they’d done on Alex’s couch, Michael found himself unable and unwilling to stop touching Alex, one hand caressing his face and moving his bangs back while the other ran up and down his chest and arms and thighs.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I know,” Alex said, his eyes on Michael’s chest, as if reassuring himself that Michael was really here, breathing and real at his side. “I heard you.”

Michael looked up at him, meeting his eyes. “You were awake?”

He curled in deeper on himself and Michael moved closer, wanting Alex to curl against _him_. “I don’t know what I was hoping for. When Forrest knocked, I could feel you holding tighter. I thought . . . it doesn’t matter. When you left, I was relieved, but I was . . . disappointed, too. Guess I wasn’t the best boyfriend in the world.”

“You love me,” Michael breathed, hardly able to believe it. Alex had said so, but now Michael knew that he’d _wanted_ him to break him and Forrest up. He’d wanted Michael to fight for him, to demand he have him back. “You . . . love _me_.”

Alex looked up at him, his expression deadly serious. “More than you could know.”

“You _wanted_ me to get angry.”

Alex shook his head. “You’ve always just taken what you wanted. You’ve fought for everybody . . . except me. You’ve never fought for me, and . . . I guess I just wanted to be worth it, too.”

“ _Alex_ –”

Alex huffed a chuckle, closing his eyes. “Sorry, that sounds pathetic –” he moved to sit up, but Michael wrapped an arm around his waist and forced him back down. He brought a leg to Alex’s other side, hovering over him.

“I wanted to kill Forrest today for touching you,” he said. “And those damn pricks at the bar. And every guy that ever thought he ever had a _chance_ with you.”

Alex’s brows furrowed. “W-What? What guys at the bar, Guerin?”

Michael swallowed. “The guys I chased off before they could come near you. The first night you came back to the Pony.”

“That – that was more than two years ago.”

“I don’t care,” Michael said at once. “Nobody’s allowed to come near you.” He clenched his jaw. “Forrest wasn’t supposed to, but . . . I thought . . .”

Alex’s shoulders fell. “You thought I’d never want to be with anybody else.”

Michael swallowed, and nodded. He thought Alex would get angry with him, but the airman wrapped his arms around Michael’s shoulders and pulled him down.

“C’mere,” he murmured before he covered Michael’s lips with his own. “Kiss me, just keep kissing me.”

Like Michael was ever going to stop. He wrapped his arms around Alex’s body and kept them pressed tightly together. He groaned into Alex’s mouth as their quickly-hardening cocks grinded, and Michael could feel Alex’s chest and stomach rise and fall with his breathing.

“Don’t leave after this,” Michael said, knowing it sounded desperate and not caring. “Stay here. I want to keep you.”

“Guerin –”

“Stay with me,” Michael pleaded, his fingers digging into Alex’s skin. He pressed their foreheads together as Alex nodded.

“I’ll stay with you,” he promised. “For as long as you want me.”

Michael smiled, feeling like he might cry at the same time. He murmured the truth against Alex’s mouth, their lips brushing, “Forever. I want you to stay with me forever.”

Alex searched Michael’s face a moment before he whispered, “Then forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> This won't be one of my usual overly long works, but I wanted to make it two chapters anyway. It was going to be just this one part, then I thought, Nah.  
> [my tumblr](https://pastelwitchling.tumblr.com/)  
> [my IG](https://www.instagram.com/rinblackmare/?hl=en)


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